amateriat
We're all light!
Lots of individuals and organizations like to throw block parties/"happenings" in my Fair City. But, a car company?
So, I'm between computer tech-gigs this evening, and my first job wraps up early, so I call my client for my next job and see if I can come by earlier than planned. He says "sure", but he's gettting on the subway from work right now, so it'll be about 20 minutes. So I kill some time, park my bike and stop at a pizza joint in Carroll Gardens for a slice and a drink. While chewing and sipping, I see an odd-but-cool-looking Volvo coming to a stop at a traffic light. Never saw one of these before; must be brand new, but I'd never heard about this one, and as much as I'm a bicycle-centric guy these days, I try to keep a finger on most things automotive, so this was strange. I carefully watch it as it drove off. It reminded me somehow of Volvo's old P1800, their first-and-mostly-last attempt at a serious sports car (as opposed to sporty adaptations of some of their standard-issue stuff). I continued noshing, finished, then walked out to get my bike and head to my next gig, which wasn't too far away.
Before I swung a leg over the saddle, another Volvo of the same model, but of a different color, pulled up to the light. Huh? This time I got a closer look. The licence plate was in black, and simply said "C30." Okay, somehting was up, but I hadn't a clue as to what. I forgot about it and started riding...
...until I came upon a sidewalk scene with at least three Volvo C30s, banners, faux velvet-rope accoutrments, a video booth of some kind, and people passing out brochures and such. two of these people approached me.
"Would you like to take a test-drive of the new C30? It won't be out until October, so this is a sneak peek!"
"I'd love to", I smiled, "but I'm an authentic New Yorker...I don't have a driver's license."
I did tell them i appreciated the new car's sporty-but-sensible design and dimensions, the fact that it appears, albeit in a small way (the rear deck-lid?) to emulate the P1800 wagon-of-olde, and that I felt it would sell quite well. But I was rather amused (pleasantly) by the marketing gambit: the almost Saturn-like joviality of it all, which even Saturn abandoned some time ago (Volvo is still owned by Ford, at least until they find someone willing to take it off their hands for some seriously-needed cash).
Anyway, the only camera at-hand was, yes, my dreaded camera-phone. Here's the hard evidence:
This blue number had the Swedish flag emblazoned on the roof. MINI-envy, anyone?
- Barrett
So, I'm between computer tech-gigs this evening, and my first job wraps up early, so I call my client for my next job and see if I can come by earlier than planned. He says "sure", but he's gettting on the subway from work right now, so it'll be about 20 minutes. So I kill some time, park my bike and stop at a pizza joint in Carroll Gardens for a slice and a drink. While chewing and sipping, I see an odd-but-cool-looking Volvo coming to a stop at a traffic light. Never saw one of these before; must be brand new, but I'd never heard about this one, and as much as I'm a bicycle-centric guy these days, I try to keep a finger on most things automotive, so this was strange. I carefully watch it as it drove off. It reminded me somehow of Volvo's old P1800, their first-and-mostly-last attempt at a serious sports car (as opposed to sporty adaptations of some of their standard-issue stuff). I continued noshing, finished, then walked out to get my bike and head to my next gig, which wasn't too far away.
Before I swung a leg over the saddle, another Volvo of the same model, but of a different color, pulled up to the light. Huh? This time I got a closer look. The licence plate was in black, and simply said "C30." Okay, somehting was up, but I hadn't a clue as to what. I forgot about it and started riding...
...until I came upon a sidewalk scene with at least three Volvo C30s, banners, faux velvet-rope accoutrments, a video booth of some kind, and people passing out brochures and such. two of these people approached me.
"Would you like to take a test-drive of the new C30? It won't be out until October, so this is a sneak peek!"
"I'd love to", I smiled, "but I'm an authentic New Yorker...I don't have a driver's license."
I did tell them i appreciated the new car's sporty-but-sensible design and dimensions, the fact that it appears, albeit in a small way (the rear deck-lid?) to emulate the P1800 wagon-of-olde, and that I felt it would sell quite well. But I was rather amused (pleasantly) by the marketing gambit: the almost Saturn-like joviality of it all, which even Saturn abandoned some time ago (Volvo is still owned by Ford, at least until they find someone willing to take it off their hands for some seriously-needed cash).
Anyway, the only camera at-hand was, yes, my dreaded camera-phone. Here's the hard evidence:
This blue number had the Swedish flag emblazoned on the roof. MINI-envy, anyone?
- Barrett
Attachments
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FrankS
Registered User
Very cool car! Wish I could afford one.
Years ago I bought a used, boxy (but safe!) 245DL wagon that was 9 years old, and it still felt tight.
Years ago I bought a used, boxy (but safe!) 245DL wagon that was 9 years old, and it still felt tight.
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colyn
ישו משיח
I'm not interested in the cars...tell me about the cute blonde in the first photo..
jlw
Rangefinder camera pedant
This is certainly one of the nicer-looking iterations of Ford's C1 platform, which also underpins the Mazda 3 and the highly-regarded European version of the Ford Focus.
Can't help thinking, though, that although the 1800ES-esque glass hatch is stylish, the actual load opening is rather small. Good thing we rangefinder shooters tend to favor smaller camera outfits...
Can't help thinking, though, that although the 1800ES-esque glass hatch is stylish, the actual load opening is rather small. Good thing we rangefinder shooters tend to favor smaller camera outfits...
amateriat
We're all light!
Oh, her...cute, and friendly she was. And also taken.colyn said:
- Barrett
amateriat
We're all light!
I was sorta thinking the same thing...and I see what you mean about the C1/Mazda 3 platform (another car I admire). Time will tell how this one sorts out, but I liked what I saw, even if I'm not in the market for a car at all.jlw said:
- Barrett
ravnish
Member
looks like a pinto
John Camp
Well-known
ravnish said:
Bwaahahahahahaha...oh. Sorry.
In one of the thriller novels by the person known only as "Trevanian," he tells of a European fad for Volvo bashing -- the cars were ugly, unreliable, hard to drive and expensive, but never quite deteriorated to the point where you felt like you should sell it or trade it in. So people began bashing Volvos -- kicking doors and fenders -- soley to given the victim the excuse to trade it. I don't know if this story related to anything real, or was purely apocryphal.
JC
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
Well if a blonde bearing such a ponytail comes with it, I'm in.
amateriat
We're all light!
That's rather interesting, and I wonder if this was written after Volvos "evolved" into their "boxy" dimensions (70s and beyond). I can't say I loved them, but I sort of liked them (especially compared to the contemporary dreck Detroit was offering...Boxus Maximus!John Camp said:
And, I knew someone who once owned a rather cool, sporty Pinto (back in the day), but it doesn't really hold a candle, stylistically-speaking, to the C30. And no breaking into hives when throwing the thing into reverse...
- Barrett
ywenz
Veteran
just volvo jumpin onto the Mini bandwagon.. BMW is coming out with it's own "mini" in the next 2 to 3 years... Rather ugly I think..
amateriat
We're all light!
Since they're the folks who dreamed up the current Mini (among other things...have you seen the new Rolls-Royce Drophead? Yikes!), which I happen to like, I don't see why they'd bother. Given some of the recent stuff under their own marque that leaves something to be desired, I'd imagine they have enough work cut out for them.ywenz said:just volvo jumpin onto the Mini bandwagon.. BMW is coming out with it's own "mini" in the next 2 to 3 years... Rather ugly I think..
- Barrett
ClaremontPhoto
Jon Claremont
I am lucky enough to live in a very photogenic region with good climate and only a short flight from anywhere else in Europe.
Car makers frequently have their press launches near here and we get to preview all sorts of new cars.
Most people locally drive clunkers, so it's really obvious when in a day we see ten or more new Jaguars or BMW's. And a month or so later we see a magazine with the car photographed in a recognizable locale.
Car makers frequently have their press launches near here and we get to preview all sorts of new cars.
Most people locally drive clunkers, so it's really obvious when in a day we see ten or more new Jaguars or BMW's. And a month or so later we see a magazine with the car photographed in a recognizable locale.
peter_n
Veteran
I think I'm on my 5th Volvo and currently have a Cross Country (which I love) and a 1987 240 wagon which I've had for 21 years and it's still going like a champ with only 95K miles on it. However I do think it is time for a change, I fancy the new Saab sedan with AWD. However if the next Volvo came with one of those cute blondes I could be persuaded...
However if the next Volvo came with one of those cute blondes I could be persuaded...
ernstk
Retro Renaissance
Scottish Volvos!
Scottish Volvos!
The only Volvo I really liked (and still do) was the original p1800.
The bodies were manufactured in Linwood, near Glasgow by Pressed Steel Company and were originally transported to West Bromwich, near Birmingham to be assembled by Jensen. When this fell through on quality grounds, the Glasgow made bodies were shipped to Sweden for assembly.
I remember as a young boy, cycling around Grangemouth docks, which was a major Scottish east coast port and seeing all these p1800 bodies being loaded on ships for Sweden. I could never understand this, knowing that it was a Swedish car.
It wasn't until almost 30 years later that I got to know the truth behind it.
Regards
Ernst
Scottish Volvos!
The only Volvo I really liked (and still do) was the original p1800.
The bodies were manufactured in Linwood, near Glasgow by Pressed Steel Company and were originally transported to West Bromwich, near Birmingham to be assembled by Jensen. When this fell through on quality grounds, the Glasgow made bodies were shipped to Sweden for assembly.
I remember as a young boy, cycling around Grangemouth docks, which was a major Scottish east coast port and seeing all these p1800 bodies being loaded on ships for Sweden. I could never understand this, knowing that it was a Swedish car.
It wasn't until almost 30 years later that I got to know the truth behind it.
Regards
Ernst
Didier
"Deed"
The C30 has been released in Europe a while ago, I have seen several of them on the road. From the size it looks more Golf-class (Rabbit in USA) than Mini-class to me. The design is in the tradition of the Volvo P1800 ES, which was called "Schneewittchensarg" or "Jungfrauensarg" in german speaking countries ("Snow White's coffin" or "Virgin's coffin", imagine why). Alas, the riding quality of the C30's chassis has been estimated as a bit stiff in most reviews I've read, nothing unusual with Volvo's.
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
You can be sure it'll be overpriced for what you get. Stick with a Mazda.
peter_n
Veteran
Actually Volvos are very reasonably priced for their model class, at least here in the US. Also when you consider that my 21 year old 240 wagon has only had one electrical switch fail in it's lifetime - that reliability is really nice to be able to depend on. The cars are definitely safe, I was involved in a dreadful accident in my very first Volvo and was completely unharmed. You need that with the lunatic drivers we have here in Massachusetts. So I am big on Swedish cars because they seem to put the safety of the occupants above most other factors when designing a car.
foto_fool
Well-known
peter_n said:
Yer 240 was built by Volvo before Ford involvement. I have driven several more recent Volvos and come away unimpressed with ergonomics, fit & finish. They are not for me.
My brother picked up a new BMW 335 xi last week. I want that car.
- John
Olsen
Well-known
I hear that the Volvo workers at Torslanda (making the 4 whell drive CX70), Gothenburg are earning 'easily' 6 - 700.000 SEK per year. That's 100,000 $ per year... They also have 5 weeks holiday - by law. etc.
Good cars!
Good cars!